Head of Data & AI Alliances, Data and Analytics

Data & Analytics

Accordion's Data & AI practice spans three sub-practices - Data Platform, Value Creation Analytics (VCA), and AI Lab - delivering end-to-end data and AI solutions to private equity-backed companies. Alliances are a critical lever in the evolution of both Accordion and our Data & AI business.

This position is New York based, hybrid role with the flexibility to work remotely 2 days a week. Ideal candidates should be local to the NYC location.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

About the Role and You

Accordion is seeking a Head of Data & AI Alliances to lead and scale our strategic partnership ecosystem across the technology platforms that power our Data & AI practice. This is a senior, high-visibility role reporting into Commercial Excellence and a dotted line into D&A/AI and operating at the intersection of product, go-to-market, and commercial strategy.

The right candidate will bring deep relationships across the data and AI platform landscape, a commercial mindset, and the ability to translate partnership value into pipeline, co-sell motions, and product integrations that accelerate Accordion's growth.

Key Responsibilities

Alliance Strategy & Development

• Own Accordion's end-to-end alliance strategy across data platform, cloud, and AI partners
• Identify, prioritize, and build new partnerships that align to our product roadmap and go-to-market motion
• Negotiate partnership agreements, co-sell arrangements, and joint GTM investments
• Define and track robust alliance KPIs, including: partner-influenced ARR, co-sell pipeline generated, partner-sourced leads, MDF utilization, certification attainment, and joint GTM activities completed - with clear targets and regular reporting cadence to D&A and Commercial Excellence leadership

Partner Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary relationship owner for Accordion's strategic technology partners
• Maintain executive-level relationships at partner organizations and represent Accordion at partner events and advisory councils
• Manage partner tier attainment, MDF (market development funds), and co-marketing opportunities
• Travel to client sites as needed

Internal Enablement

• Build internal enablement programs to ensure the D&A consulting bench, AI engineers, and sales teams can effectively position and leverage partner capabilities
• Coordinate partner certifications and training across the practice to maintain partner tier requirements

Go-To-Market Execution

• Co-develop joint solutions, co-marketing campaigns, and demand generation programs with strategic partners
• Represent Accordion at partner events, conferences, annual QBRs, and advisory councils
• Deeply understand partner incentive structures across Alliance Operations, Solutions, Industry/Vertical, AE, and Customer Success functions - and position Accordion to benefit from partner incentive programs
• Drive pipeline growth through joint demand generation, referral programs, and co-selling initiatives in close coordination with D&A MDs and the Commercial Excellence team

Target Partnership Ecosystem

The Head of Data & AI Alliances will be responsible for building and managing relationships across four primary partnership categories:

• Partner
• Category
• Strategic Relevance to Accordion
• Snowflake
• Data Cloud

• Core infrastructure layer for AxisIQ; co-sell through Snowflake's partner marketplace and PE-focused industry motions
• Microsoft

Cloud & AI Platform

• Azure as cloud foundation; Copilot and Azure OpenAI as AI layer for Intelligent Close and AI Lab products; Microsoft 365 integration opportunities
• OpenAI

Frontier AI Models

• Model access for AI Lab product development; potential co-marketing with PE-focused enterprise clients; early access to model capabilities
• Anthropic

Frontier AI Models

Claude model integration for Intelligent Close and AI Lab; safety-focused AI positioning attractive to PE clients with compliance requirements

You Have

• 10+ years of experience in technology partnerships, alliances, or business development, with at least 5 years in a senior or leadership role
• Established relationships at Snowflake, Microsoft, or one or more major AI platform providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google)
• Demonstrated track record of building partnerships that generated measurable pipeline, ARR, or product distribution
• Strong understanding of modern data stack architecture (cloud data warehouses, ELT pipelines, BI/visualization layers)
• Experience negotiating and managing partner agreements including co-sell, ISV, and reseller arrangements
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, professional services and product hybrid environment

Preferred

• Experience in a consulting or managed services firm, particularly with private equity or financial services clients
• Background in SaaS or data product companies where alliances drove product distribution
• Existing relationships with partner alliance managers at Snowflake, Microsoft, or major AI providers
• Experience building alliance functions from an early stage, including defining frameworks, tooling, and internal processes
• Experience working directly alongside Alliance Managers and Account Executives at partner organizations, with a hands-on understanding of how partner incentives and co-sell programs work in practice
• Demonstrated ability to drive events, marketing programs, account enablement, and learning/training initiatives independently and without a dedicated team

What Success Looks Like

• In the first 90 days, this leader will have mapped the current state of Accordion's partner relationships, identified the highest-priority gaps and opportunities, and established executive-level contacts at two to three target partners. Within six months, they will have formalized agreements with at least one new strategic partner and activated co-sell motions that generate measurable pipeline. Within twelve months, the alliances function will be operating as a scaled program with defined tiers, MDF utilization, and a clear contribution to Accordion's ARR growth targets.